Harrison adjourns 2013 LCMS convention

By Megan Mertz

ST. LOUIS (July 25, 2013) — “With this 175-year-old gavel, with which this convention was opened and every convention of the last 100 years, the 65th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is now declared adjourned … in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen,” said the Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison, LCMS president, just past noon today.

The Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison bangs the historic gavel to close the 2013 LCMS convention. (LCMS Communications)

Minutes before, LCMS International Center Chaplain and Director of Worship Rev. William Weedon led the convention in the Itinerarium, or the responsive prayer used for traveling.

“The Itinerarium … sends people off with the Word and promise of God ringing in their ears and with prayer for safe travel,” said Weedon. “It remembers Abraham and his journeys and how God was with him and Sarah. And it remembers also the Wise Men traveling to be with Christ and how the Lord safely brought them there and safely brought them back home again. And we ask that for us, that God would bring us safely to our homes.

“But above all, the big prayer is that He would bring us safely to our heavenly home. We ask that God’s angels accompany us on the way and protect us as we travel. That’s really the heart and soul of the Itinerarium,” Weedon continued.

Following the Itinerarium and adjournment, delegates and visitors left the America’s Center Convention Complex after spending the last five days listening to official reports and guest greetings, praying together, electing national officers and voting on resolutions prepared by the floor committees.

During the week, 100 resolutions were adopted by the convention.